Okonjo-Iweala tops Nigeria’s 500 thought leaders as banking sector trails

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has emerged as Nigeria’s most influential thought leader in the inaugural

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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has emerged as Nigeria’s most influential thought leader in the inaugural 2026 GREY Capital Index, ahead of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Yemi Cardoso and former African Development Bank president Akinwumi Adesina.

The ranking, published by Podhium, a Lagos-based reputation ratings institution, assessed 500 Nigerian leaders across 25 sectors, with Okonjo-Iweala scoring 91.2 out of 100.

Cardoso placed second with 83 points, while Adesina came third with 81 points.

Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, ranked fourth with 78.6 points, followed by Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings and founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, who scored 77.4 points.

Other personalities in the top 10 include Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, chairman of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation; Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations; Jim Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank; Atedo Peterside, founder of IBTC Bank; and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, emir of Kano.

Podium said the index measures the depth, originality, reach and influence of ideas through four assessment areas: growth, reputation, expertise and yield.

The organisation said it screened more than 3,000 names, assessed 867 individuals and selected 500 for the final ranking.

Only 10 individuals, representing two percent of those ranked, qualified for the highest category, known as Apex Architect, which requires a score of at least 75. Another 64 were classified as Industry Authorities, while 426 fell into the Ecosystem Shaper category.

Obiora Tabansi Onyeaso, managing director of Podhium, said the index was created to distinguish original, evidence-based thinking from commentary that simply repeats existing conversations.

“Nigeria has never been short of thinkers in executive suits and the upper echelons of government. What has been missing is an instrument that can tell original, evidenced thought apart from the commentary that merely circulates and echoes what is discussed on stage,” he said.

Banking sector records a gap

The report identified limited representation at the highest level of thought leadership among banking professionals, noting that none of the 37 individuals ranked in the sector reached the Apex Architect category.

It attributed the situation partly to what it described as the “latent penalty” associated with regulated industries, where professionals may face career risks for speaking openly on sensitive issues.

According to the report, former banking executives such as Ovia, Aig-Imoukhuede and Peterside have established platforms beyond conventional banking through philanthropy, education and leadership development.

International development organisations recorded the highest average score among sectors with at least 10 ranked individuals, at 52.2 points. The arts, culture and entertainment sector recorded an average of 35.5 points.

Women account for 44.4% of ranked leaders

Women accounted for 222 of the 500 individuals on the list, representing 44.4 percent of the total. Two women made the top 10, with Okonjo-Iweala ranking first and Mohammed placing seventh.

Women also accounted for 10 of the 36 individuals who scored at least 0.90 on the index’s quality verification measure.

However, their average final score of 36.8 was lower than the 41.3 recorded by men. Podhium linked the difference partly to unequal access to platforms and channels that carry greater weight in its assessment.

Index to be updated twice yearly

Onyeaso said the small number of individuals in the highest category reflected weaknesses in the institutional support available for sustained intellectual work rather than a shortage of capable Nigerians.

“Ten Apex Architects in a country of 230 million people is not a talent deficit. It is an infrastructure deficit,” he said.

He pointed to the limited availability of endowed academic chairs, funded think tanks and platforms that support long-term research and the development of ideas.

Podhium said it would publish the index twice a year from 2027, with a main edition in January and an update in June. Each edition will reassess candidates and track changes in the rankings.

The organisation said rankings are published without advance notice and cannot be negotiated. It added that commercial recognition products offered after publication would not affect or protect an individual’s position.

The full report, containing the 500-person ranking, sector analysis and assessment methodology, is available on Podhium’s website.